FOUR VANS ENTER, ONE VAN LEAVES
2021 Chrysler Pacifica S Limited AWD ..............$56,090
2021 Honda Odyssey Elite .....................................$49,390
2022 Kia Carnival SX Prestige .............................. $47,770
2021 Toyota Sienna Platinum Hybrid AWD .......$54,138
But the rise of two-box crossovers and SUVs led to the stigmatization of minivans as unfashionable mom-mobiles despite off-the-charts versatility and convenience. And just like that, these carefully packaged, thoughtfully designed vehicles were replaced by less practical and less adaptable three-row SUVs.
Today’s minivans go all out in terms of technology and features in an attempt to swing the pendulum back. To see which modern, luxury-leaning minivan reigns supreme, we gathered the entire segment in their fanciest trims, plus three dads (Dr. Bob Cho, chief of staff at Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena; MotorTrend head of editorial Ed Loh; and senior features editor Jonny Lieberman) and yours truly, a single 32-year-old with vast experience living with and driving such vehicles.
The Contenders
First up was a Chrysler Pacifica S Limited AWD with black wheels and badging. This Pacifica came loaded with Stow ’N Go second-row seats, dual rear screens, and the Stow ’N Vac onboard vacuum to keep things tidy. Its eye-watering price—$56,090—made it the most expensive of the group. (Today, the Voyager is Chrysler’s lower-priced model, but it’s simply a decontented Pacifica by another name.)
The Honda Odyssey Elite didn’t match some of the other vans’ wow features, but it’s a longtime top choice in the segment. One of its key tricks is CabinWatch, which displays a camera feed of the rear seats on the infotainment screen. At $49,390, the Odyssey included a vacuum and a rear entertainment package.
This story is from the August 2021 edition of Motor Trend.
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This story is from the August 2021 edition of Motor Trend.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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